Product & design · Writing & communication
Progressive disclosure.
Showing essential information first and revealing additional complexity when someone asks for it.
Useful when a simple first step needs room for deeper detail.
“Use progressive disclosure: show the three common settings first and put advanced options behind a clear control.”
A closer look
The first view should support the common task. Secondary information remains available through a discoverable path. Deciding what belongs at each level is the real design work; hiding frequently needed controls can make the experience worse.
Put it to work
“Keep the summary short, with a clearly labeled section for assumptions and calculations.”
A useful distinction
Hiding important costs until checkout is not helpful progressive disclosure. Information needed for the current decision belongs in the current view.